Description

What Congress Costs

There are just 414 members of the House and of the Senate, and to wait upon and run errands and hold open the doors as they pass in and out, and carrying cards of their callers, and taking care of the thousands of bills they put in, they have employed about 400 people, who are paid the snug little sum of $684,000 for doing so. Every member has one employe, and for the service of the same there is paid an average of about $1,800 each. A total of $420,000 is required to pay the salaries of the Senators, and for the compensation of the members of the House $1,695,000 is to be provided, and this brings the salaries of our national law-makers to a total of over $2,000,000 per year. It costs a little less than $150,000 per session to pay the mileage of the members, and the country pays $50,000 to purchase the stationery for the members and officers of the House alone in any one session. The treasury pays $52,000 for reporting the debates, whether Congress sits for one month or for 12, as the official reporters, like most of the clerks, are paid by the year, though they seldom do more than 12 months' work in the 24 months that make a Congressional term.

Salary Of The President Of The United States

Most people believe that the $50,000 a year which the president gets as his salary is the total sum. This is a mistake. $36,064 is given him, in addition to his salary of $50,0C0, to pay the salaries of his subordi-nates and clerks. His private secretary is paid $3,250; his assistant secretary $2,250; his stenographer $1,800; five messengers, each $1,200; a steward $1,800; two doorkeepers, each $1,200; four other clerks at good salaries; one telegraph operator; two ushers $1,200 and $1,400; a night usher $1,200; a watchman $900; and a man who takes care of the fires who receives $864 a year. In addition to this, there is given him $8,000 for incidental expenses such as stationery, carpets, and the care of the presidental stables. And under another heading there is given him nearly $40,000 more. Of this $12,500 is for repairs and refurnish-ing the White House; $2,500 is for fuel; $4,000 is for the green-house; $15,000 is for gas, matches, and the stable. The White House, all told, costs the country in connection with the president considerably over $125,000 yearly.